River trip
Wooden boats.
Paul B — CC BY 2.0 · DanielGuzmanDuchen — CC BY-SA 4.0 · DanielGuzmanDuchen — CC BY-SA 4.0
A vast national park created in 1995, stretching over some 19,000 square kilometres from icy Andean peaks to Amazon rainforest, named in 2018 by the Wildlife Conservation Society the world's most biodiverse park, with thousands of plant, bird and butterfly species. Visitors leave Rurrenabaque in long wooden boats up the Beni and Tuichi rivers between forested cliffs to eco-lodges deep in the forest, the best known run by local communities. From there, day and night walks are led by guides from the area. In the forest you may see howler and squirrel monkeys, big colourful macaws on clay licks, blue morpho butterflies, tracks of tapirs and jaguars, and hear the forest's night sounds. Guides teach visitors about medicinal plants and forest uses. Entry is only with licensed companies and certified guides, on trips of two to four days. The dry season, May to October, is easier. The lowlands are hot, humid and full of mosquitoes, so bring repellent and light long clothes, and ask your doctor about yellow fever vaccination. Bolivia is under a state of emergency with protests and road blockades, so check road conditions and your government's travel advice before the trip.
Wooden boats.
In the forest.
On clay licks.
Upper Amazon basin; reached by boat from Rurrenabaque on the Beni River
From Rurrenabaque with a licensed company on a two- to four-day boat trip to a forest lodge; independent entry is not allowed.